National Citizen Service (NCS) is a key part of the Government’s efforts to build a bigger, stronger society.

The two month programme will mix sixteen year olds from a variety of backgrounds, and will include a two week stay away from home. It will give 16 year olds a challenge - and help them to help their communities.

The first two weeks of the programme will take young people away from home and involve tough physical activities that will boost their confidence and build their teamwork and leadership skills. They will then return home and spend a further five weeks working in teams to develop a project that will help to change something they don’t like about their communities.

Starting in July, after exams have finished, 12 NCS pilot programmes will take place across the country with a total of 11,000 spaces up for grabs.

Some of the projects have already started accepting registrations. More than 8,000 people have so far expressed an interest, with 1,000 people already signed up.

All 12 pilots are now open to teenagers who have just turned or are about to turn 16 - and who would normally have completed year 11 at school.

Those who complete the programme will celebrate their achievements with families and friends at NCS graduation ceremonies, which they will help to plan.

Launching a new Facebook page, with details of NCS, the PM made a direct appeal to teenagers to sign up, saying:

Welcome to the new National Citizen Service Facebook page.

I want National Citizen Service to inspire you to realise what you can achieve. This summer you will be able to spend two months mixing with other young people, learning new skills, and putting something back into your community.

NCS will be available to 11,000 people in 2011 and 30,000 in 2012. Over time I want all sixteen year olds to be able to take part.

Thanks for visiting the NCS page - and don’t forget to register to take part.

Francis Maude, Minister for the Cabinet Office, added:

Eventually we want all of the 600,000 or so 16 year olds in the country to do National Citizen Service. It is different from existing volunteer programmes providing a shared experience for each generation that teaches them about the power they have as citizens to build the society they want to live in.

From 2013, some NCS alumni will have the opportunity to take part in International Citizen Service (ICS), a new programme giving 18-22 year olds the opportunity to travel to developing countries to join the fight against poverty.

1,250 people will be taking part in ICS from this summer and the Department for International Development will shortly be announcing more details about the international development organisations that will be delivering the pilots and how to apply.

Background

At www.facebook.com/ncs young people will be able to find out more about the programme, including where the pilots will be happening.

The 12 pilots are:

Bolton Lads and Girls Club - providing 270 places in Bolton

Catch 22 - leading a national consortium providing 1,515 places

Connexions Cumbria Ltd - providing 492 places across Cumbria

Field Studies Council - working with Rotary International in Great Britain & Ireland (RIBI) and Action for Blind People providing 540 places in Bradford, Hull, North East Lincolnshire, Tower Hamlets and Manchester

Football League (Community) Ltd - working with the club trusts of: AFC Bournemouth; Barnsley; Charlton Athletic; Leyton Orient; Milton Keynes Dons; Plymouth Argyle; Rotherham United; Sheffield Wednesday; and other local and national providers, providing 800 places in those areas

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